


Vox

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Language Barrier, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-12
Updated: 2012-02-12
Packaged: 2017-10-31 02:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/338850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title is Latin and means "voice."</p>
    </blockquote>





	Vox

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mother_hearted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mother_hearted/gifts).



> Title is Latin and means "voice."

She'd heard of the beauty of herons, of course. There was epic poetry dedicated from the admirers of Lehran, and many of his ancestors. However, the tapestries and poems did her no justice. She was delicate and exquisite, and almost startling fragile. Suddenly the old adage _a heron is never without allies_ made perfect sense. 

But it wasn't simply her looks which was so captivating, it was her voice. It was soft, fluttery, a long-forgotten tongue of mysterious syllables. More than that, there seemed to be a power to it, and when she began to sing with her brother, the forest was healed, reborn. 

But it was not just the forest which was revitalized. Elincia need not look far to see the newly found energy and hope rising in her comrades, herself.

The memory of that song had never left her.

*

Elincia paced the dark room, her mind abuzz. She couldn't act. She couldn't take this. Lucia was imprisoned, and no news of Geoffrey's charge had come. She hadn't lied the day she told the twins and Bastian that she'd never be happy again if they didn't return. Her parents had been a harsh blow, but to take Lucia, Geoffrey and Bastian would upend every root, every memory would lead to tears. 

But she was the queen. She had to choose her country over herself, and at times, soldiers would be lost in the guarding of that country. 

She couldn't give in. Not now, not after fighting for so long.

She turned towards the sound of the creaking door, hoping for a messenger, Bastian returned from the fray.

It was Leanne who was there, looking like moonlight which had stolen into her dank, planning room.

"I'm sorry, Lady Leanne. I've hardly been a good hostess," Elincia said. But then, it was useless. Leanne couldn't understand her even in the least. Nealuchi wasn't there to translate this time. In the low light, Leanne's beauty was still just as stunning. Leanne tilted her hand.

"You are....sad? You..." she seemed to fumble for a word, and continued in heavily accented attempts at modern tongue. "...miss them?"

"Yes...." Elincia said. "They are my...family. My only remaining family. If I lose them, then I will be alone. But you know how that is, don't you? I'm sorry if I've been insensitive—" 

Leanne stepped forward and reached out. Her hand rested at Elincia's cheek, and even without words, Elincia could feel the pulse of energy. 

"I know," Leanne said, and so much was contained in that moment. Elincia found herself falling to the floor as if she'd been struck. She buried her face in Leanne's dress, and heard a pleasant cooing as Leanne made a comforting sound. It shifted into a song in a language she didn't know, yet somehow touched her soul. She felt like for that moment, she could go on, even if she lost them. There was sorrow, and yet hope. The knowledge that after winter would follow spring. 

Elincia looked up through her tears, a stutter of apologies. Leanne put her finger to Elincia's lips—apparently a universal gesture of hushing. 

When she had cried herself dry, she looked up at Leanne with red-rimmed eyes. Her pure white wings were like snowy days of a happier time, as soft as clouds. She shifted from her knees to sit on the floor, and Leanne sat down with her, her white robes pooling about her. 

And there were no words, just the soft dove-like cooing of Leanne's language and Elincia's muffled sobs as she broke into pieces and then slowly put herself back together again.

*

When Lucia, Bastian and Geoffrey came back to her, Leanne was to the side, a serene smile on her face as if she had known—and believed—this would happen all along. She so wanted to thank Leanne for allowing her to be weak for that moment when everyone else demanded strength, but she couldn't find the words. 

So she didn't. The moment was lost, and they were pulled to other sides, her for her duties, her still living _family_ , and finally locating Ike. Leanne to her own family.

It wasn't the last time she saw her, however.

Leanne stayed in Elincia's army all through the rest of the war. Elincia took untold strength in that. All it would take was a glance backwards to see an emotion beyond the scope of words or language. It was understood all the same. 

*

Even with the war ending, Leanne stayed on as a guest at Crimea. She spent most of her time in the gardens, which looked all the more lovely for her songs. Elincia tried to ensure that she spent at least some part of her time there with her—even if her duties made her into quite the terrible hostess yet again.

That day, Leanne was bent over a bed of lilies, breathing in their scent and singing an ancient song. Elincia stood and simply listened to the feeling between the words. Her earlier songs had a tinge of aching sadness, but this one seemed happier, somehow. More hopeful. 

It tumbled out of her, far more quick and inelegant than was expected of a lady, let alone a queen. "I'm sorry, I never thanked you—"

Leanne took her hand and put it to her own chest. Elincia blushed slightly to feel her palm to the soft curves of Leanne's chest. But this was not the message, she knew. She felt it under her hand, the flutter of a heartbeat. 

"I know...do you?" Leanne said.

A faint blush, a smile. They shared an understanding without any need of any more words.


End file.
